Tony Abbott unveils plans for new Sir John Monash Centre in France

A new $100-million war museum at the Australian memorial in Villers-Bretonneaux will have a 'foreign field' as its roof, and take inspiration from old sacrifice and new technology to tell the story of the Anzacs on the Somme.

Prime minister Tony Abbott revealed details of the design of the interpretive centre, to be known as the Sir John Monash Centre, on a visit to the fields of the old Western Front on Sunday.

An artist's impression of the new Sir John Monash centre at Villers-Bretonneaux.

"The story of Gallipoli is very well known indeed but the story of Australia on the Western Front should be much better known and that's what the Monash centre will be all about," Abbott said.

"It was an extraordinary story… valour and indomitable commitment but it was a story of success as well. Gallipoli was a splendid failure but the Western Front was a terrible victory and we should remember our victories as much as we remember our defeats."

It will also tell the story of General Monash and his famous victory in July 1918 when he captured Le Hamel.

The 'blitzkrieg' attack, combining infantry, artillery and tanks, is considered a forerunner of modern warfare and was a model for battles to come. All the Allied forces objectives were won in less than two hours, and the tactics were used on a bigger scale soon after to break the deadlock of trench warfare.

About 290,000 Australians fought on the western front, ten per cent of the Allied forces.

Visitors leaving the museum will exit into a light-filled, peaceful courtyard, and climb stairs to a place on the hill overlooking the site of Monash's victory.

Last year the Australian government committed $6.9 million for the museum. The centre was designed by Cox Architecture.

About 290,000 Australians fought on the western front, ten per cent of the Allied forces.

The Australian National Memorial at Villers-Bretonneux is the nation's most significant war memorial overseas. Almost 11,000 Australian servicemen who fell on the Western Front are commemorated on its walls beside the Commonwealth military cemetery.